Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz issued an update Thursday afternoon on the investigation into the death of Marchello Woodard. 

He was shot multiple times by a state parole agent in Erie in early July. He died after the shooting.

His death was ruled a homicide.

This is Hirz's statement in its entirety:

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office has received investigative materials from the Pennsylvania State Police regarding the death of Marchello Woodard and is currently reviewing them. Additional follow-up and continued collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Police will be necessary, and at this stage, no determination has been made. We acknowledge and understand the community's frustration regarding the length of the ongoing investigation.
However, we want to assure the public that we, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Police, are continuing to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation. We recognize the importance of transparency and appreciate the community's desire for answers. However, to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure justice is properly served, we are unable to release specific details.
We ask for your continued patience and trust as we work to uncover the full truth. These investigations take time. Our priority and commitment remain to ensuring this investigation is handled with the diligence, professionalism, and care that our community deserves.
As stated previously, once the investigation is complete and our legal review is concluded, we will communicate the outcome to the family first, and then to the public.

Some, including The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, have called for a quicker conclusion to the investigation.

“It has been 51 days since the Pennsylvania State Police and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office started investigating this incident, and no charges have been filed,” Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, chair of the PLBC, said. “No family should have to endure the pain that Marchello’s has – dealing with the loss of a loved one without any answers, action, or meaningful reform. Our caucus demands full accountability for the events that led to this devastating loss of life.”

The incident drew a lot of attention and protests, including from a national figure.

Thursday evening, the Justice for Chello Coalition sent a statement to Hirz that read:

"On July 2, 2025, Marchello "Chello" Woodard, an unarmed man, was shot and killed while seated in his car here in Erie, Pennsylvania. This death has been ruled a homicide and is an unprecedented event in our country and certainly in our county. His death has also created an unhealthy level of tension in our community that we are all trying to address.

The Erie community, family members of Marchello along with this coalition have honored the requests of city and county leadership and patiently waited for updates while also exercising our freedoms as concerned citizens. We have requested consistent communication through the District Attorney's office for 57 days and greatly appreciate the statement made today, August 28, 2025 regarding the progress of the investigation. We are hopeful this will be a new start to more fluid communication as a means to showing the community their needs and concerns are being heard.

In the effort to facilitate this open dialogue and mutual respect, the Coalition would like to meet with you at a time suitable to your schedule and ours. We are cognizant that this meeting will be to facilitate further conversation and NOT to discuss any investigative details.

We would appreciate a response regarding our request by Tuesday, August 8, 2025 and a timely meeting thereafter.

We look forward to your response and commit to finding justice in the death of Marchello Woodard.

In unity and resolve,

Justice for Chello Coalition"